Exhaust Gaskets

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Jun 25, 2018 | 08:48 PM

OGBlackout

Thread Starter

Intermediate

Joined: Jun 2018

Posts: 26

Likes: 1

From: Massachusetts

Exhaust Gaskets

So about 2 or 3 weeks ago I put on a new exhaust from Vance and Hines and changed the gaskets while I did it. Only issue I had was when I was tightening one of the pulley cover bolts to torque spec it snapped, don't ask me how, I have wondered that enough alone. LOL But my question was, since I just put in new gaskets, is it alright if I take the exhaust off and swap the pulley cover bolt out for a new one that I bought and just put the exhaust back on? Or do they need to be changed again since its breaking the gaskets seal? Just don't want to re install the exhaust a second time and have a leak cause of a dumb gasket. Any help would be appreciated!

Jun 25, 2018 | 08:50 PM

MURPHCC1

Club Member

Joined: Apr 2013

Posts: 5,873

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From: Cape Cod

I've reused them bunch of times!

Jun 26, 2018 | 04:46 AM

sorensentyler

Road Captain

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 646

Likes: 159

From: New York

technically you’re supposed to install a new gasket if you remove the exhaust. if you don’t you are taking a risk of getting an exhaust leak. if you do reuse make sure it’s bolted on tighter than it was before... or you could just do it the right way.

Jun 26, 2018 | 06:15 AM

apache snow

Road Warrior

Joined: Sep 2017

Posts: 1,609

Likes: 694

From: over the mountain

It wont hurt unless you tore or gouged the gasket. You think when Hammer is doing a bunch of dyno test on exhaust systems they change the gaskets each time...

Last edited by apache snow; Jun 26, 2018 at 06:17 AM.

Jun 26, 2018 | 06:36 AM

Kenny94945

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 3,258

Likes: 523

From: USA

It is a risk.
Post 2 has reused with great luck.
Post 4 presents a logic question.
I personally always use new gaskets....cost of part vs time to redo.
Good luck either way!

PS take great care with those exhaust studs.. there are many broken exhaust stud stories in this forum.

Jun 26, 2018 | 08:13 AM

Scuba10jdl

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2009

Posts: 3,212

Likes: 212

On a carb bike, exhaust leaks aren't a big deal. On an EFI bike, they can mess with the O2 sensors and cause troubles. You can reuse the SE style gaskets more than you can the OEM style ones.

Jun 26, 2018 | 10:12 AM

John Harper

HDF Community Team

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 8,598

Likes: 4,032

From: San Diego, CA

From all the posts I've read, it's clear that torque wrenches break more things than they fix. Be ever so careful with those exhaust studs, they're like pretzel sticks.

John

Last edited by John Harper; Jun 26, 2018 at 10:14 AM.